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If you’re anything like me, one of the biggest perks of working from home has been being able to set up your home office. Whilst a lot of people opt for LED lighting or standing desks I found that to really give my home workspace character an aquarium really helps make it stand out. So how exactly do you fit an aquarium in a home office?
Setting yourself a budget, deciding if you will build an aquarium from scratch, considering maintenance, and measuring your office space are all important factors you have to consider before fitting an aquarium in a home office. For best results opt for a premade aquarium fish tank.
So how do you build an aquarium from scratch for a home office? Should you consider opting for a mass-produced fish tank? Keep reading to find out more
Now it’s worth mentioning that this post has a lot of information and so if you’re curious about the best equipment needed to work remotely simply go to my resource page here.
How to fit an aquarium in a home office
Fish are often the pets of choice for a lot of us.
Unlike cats and dogs who can be loud and distracting and have a habit of barging in the middle of zoom meetings, fish are relatively low maintenance.
Some studies even show that keeping an aquarium can help to keep you calm and focused.
So if you do decide to opt for an aquarium in your home office I would look into the following steps:
- Decide if you will build a tank from scratch
- Consider the cost
- Take note of where your tank will be placed
- Understand the noise
- Realize the water damage
- Decide the fish you will keep.
- Consider bonus accessories you might need
Let’s explore these below
Decide if you will build a fish tank from scratch
First of all, one of the biggest decisions you will have to make if you opt for an aquarium in your home office will be if you want to keep it simple and opt for a small fish tank/aquarium that you can get either online or at your local pet store or if you want to build your own aquarium from scratch.
It would be wise to opt for something pre-built as this is going to save you a relatively large amount of money and time whilst not having to worry about build quality or shoddy workmanship if this is the first time you’re doing something like this.
To compare the benefits and drawbacks of both building your own aquarium and getting something premade I’ve put together a table below:
| Getting a pre-build aquarium | Building your own aquarium | |
| Cost | The cost for pre-built fish tanks and quality will vary depending on size and quality but a decent sized aquarium will cost anywhere between $50-$100 | Whilst the initial raw materials of building your aquarium will likely be cheaper ( glass, pebbles, wood) if you opt for something larger or more bespoke then the cost of this will soon start to add up. If you decide to go with a bespoke aquarium company to build you an aquarium and fit it too then this cost will also add up to a large amount. |
| Size | Pre-built fish tanks and aquariums come in a variety of sizes that are suitable for most aquariums | To truly get the best size for your office that fits exactly where you want it a bespoke option is the best one for you |
| Build Quality | Most fish tank/aquarium manufacturers specialize only in these types of products and so build quality and reliability are much more likely to be stronger | If this is the first time you are building an aquarium from scratch, you might find that build quality might not be the best. For example, the wood you might end up selecting will cost a fair bit more. |
| Warranty | Most pet stores and even online retailers will refund you if there are any issues with your online aquarium. | As you will be sourcing the materials yourself it will be unlikely that you will have any warranties for the individual materials if you decide to build a bespoke aquarium for a home office |
Now if you do decide to opt for an aquarium that is bespoke then I would do the following:
Consider where your custom build aquarium will go
If you are opting for a custom-built fish tank or aquarium then this is likely because you do not want to build a typical tank-style aquarium but want something with a little bit more flourish.
As such it’s important to consider where this custom aquarium will go in your home office.
Ensure you measure the rough length, width, and height of the space, and please, for the love of God, ensure that you keep it away from any electronics or exposed wires.
Measuring your space before will also allow you to understand how many gallons of water your fish tank will be able to hold and so it’s important that this be one of the first steps that you follow.
Set a budget
Custom build aquariums can add up in cost the more elaborate the design. As such it is important to make sure that you give yourself a set cost for the project.
Small aquariums can be built relatively cheaply for less than $100 however if you opt for something grande I’m talking more than 50 gallons it’s important to budget.
If a larger tank is what you are after I’d say having a budget of around $500 should be a good budget for most people.
Come up with the blueprint
Whilst you might be keen to want to get the materials and start building straight away, it’s important as a next step when building your own custom aquarium for your home office to come up with a blueprint of how it will look.
If you are opting for a more creative design as well as any underwater ornaments you might have in there.
Aim to give a top and side view to get a good idea.
Now whilst this can be done simply by drawing it, consider using a blueprint 3d design software – you can find my favorite on this post here.
Get your items
Once you’re happy with your design it’s time to start shopping around!
Whilst most aquariums will need some of the basics that all aquariums need like Silicon or glass, make a list of some bespoke items that aquariums need, this can include things like:
- GE Silicone ( that is approved for aquariums)
- Glass ( preferably 10mm thickness works best for a strong aquarium)
- Gravel sand for the base
- Any ornaments you would like
Start building your aquarium
The next step (and easily the most difficult) is to assemble your aquarium.
Whilst your design will be specific to how you want it to look when assembling most aquariums they usually follow these steps:
- Cut your glass to size if you have not done so
- Lay your glass panels out so they are all facing upwards. On your base piece of glass layout the GE silicone glue all around the perimeter.
- Apply the silicone glue to the bottom of the rest of the glass panels that will be on the sides of your aquarium
- With a friend carefully stick the base panel and the largest side panel together at a 90-degree angle to avoid any breakages
- Apply silicone glue once again to the connecting sides of the glass panels so that each glass panel has silicone where it connects to another panel of glass
- It’s important to connect the glass in the following way – Base panel, largest rear side glass, right side glass, left side glass, and then the large glass panel near the front
- Carefully hold your glass panels together with some secure tape to hold up the side panels, this should give time for the silicone glue time to dry.
- Wait a few hours for the silicone to dry.
- If your tank is on the larger side ensure you put the in braces to distribute the weight evenly so that your aquarium does not collapse under the water pressure
- Add material to the base of your tank, this can be things like pebbles, sand, or anything else to give you a nice base for your fish
- Add any ornaments you would like
- Add the water ( or saltwater) depending on your fish
A great video I found that talks about setting up your own aquarium would be to watch the following video from Reef Armarouse
So what if you decide to go with a pre-built fish tank, are there other things you need to follow?
Once again I think the following tips should help:
Decide where your home office aquarium will be placed
For most of us, home offices are where we go to set up a clear separation with our work-life balance.
As such these are usually limited to the smallest rooms in our house and so it’s important that before you decide to buy a fish tank, that you understand where exactly it will go in your home office.
Is it something you don’t want to have in your peripheral vision, or do you want to keep it on your desk nearby to glance at?
Do you want to put it on a shelf, do you have a lot of wires, electronics or windows? If it’s nice out and you decide to open your windows this could cause temperature changes for your fish, all things you need to consider.
The best place to put a fish tank would be on a separate desk that is still near your workspace but away from any electrics or risk of spillages. Consider the southeast corner of your room for the best feng shui,
Consider your budget for your fish tank
Once you’ve decided where your fish tank will be, consider setting up a budget.
Most pre-built fish tanks that are of medium size and decent build quality cost between $50 and $100 so ensuring you have enough money on the side for this is important too.
Now you’ll obviously want to be putting fish in your fish tank which can cost anywhere from $ for a goldfish all the way up to $30 per fish.
Maintenance cost, the cost of cleaning, and food costs can also add up to around $100 per year so ensure you know the costs before opting to get a tank for your home office.
Consider the size of your fish tank
The next thing to consider is just how big you want your fish tank to be.
Whilst I’ve watched too many James Bond films and think a Shark tank would be awesome to have in a home office, the truth is that we need to ensure that any fish tank or aquarium in our home office keeps us focused and isn’t too much of a distraction. Entail distractions it’s important to consider your office furniture.
The best-sized fish tank for a home office would be a nanosized fish tank that can hold around 50 gallons of water. To maximize space consider something with a 10 inch by 10-inch base that is cylindrical so it does not take up too much space. This is usually the perfect size for a desk.
Does your tank match your office furniture
To help reduce any potential distractions caused by your aquariums in your home office consider opting for a tank that takes your furniture into consideration.
This includes everything from the design of your furniture ( nothing worse than your aquarium sticking out like a soar egg) all the way to the materials your furniture is made of.
After all, if you decide for your fish tank to rest on your work desk, you want to make sure that if your tank leaks, it won’t permanently damage your furniture or take off any paint with the excess weight.
Decide what fish you want to go in your home office fish tank
Deciding what stock to put on your fish tank is going to be one of the most important decisions you make.
After all, you want a fish that is relatively low maintenance and easy going but still gives you the distraction you need when on breaks when working from home.
The best fish hen that you can put in a home office fish tank would have to be a Zebrafish, Goldfish, or Betta, all of which are relatively easy to look after.
How loud is your tank
One of the things new fishkeepers fail to realize is that sometimes fishkeeping can be loud!
Whilst the fish themselves won’t be giving you anything to worry about, large fish tanks typically have larger water filters which can have low humming noises.
Consider options then for a fish tank that is relatively quiet that won’t distract you on calls or zoom meetings.
Consider looking into tanks that have internal water filters for the best results.
My recommendation for a quiet water pump would have to be the Mylevill who market themselves as the quietest aquarium pump in the world. You can get it here.
Now if loud noises keep you distracted when working from home I’d suggest having a look at this post
How easy will it be to do water changes
Whilst fish are super low maintenance, it is important to regularly do a water change and clean out your tank.
Keeping the maintenance of your fish in mind then should be on the top of your to-do list when considering setting up a home office aquarium.
Think about things like the distance between your fish tank from your bathroom or nearest water faucet as well as coming up with a contingency plan for what happens if you get water spillage on your home office floor.
Manage the wiring
Like it or love it, there are a lot of cords when it comes to aquariums for things like temperature control or lighting.
If you already have a bunch of divides in your home office, it might be time to invest in some cable ties to help clumps your wires together aunty not cause any unnecessary accidents (I’m looking at you tripping over headfirst into your aquarium)
Consider the amount of time you spend in your office
Whilst a lot of us have good intentions to work from our home offices day in day out, often we can get lazy and end up working from our living rooms or even worse… the bedroom.
If this is the case with you you need to ask yourself if you will actually get used out of your home office aquarium or if you just don’t use it enough to opt for one.
One trick I found was investing in office equipment to help keep you focused, which is arguably the biggest reason why people don’t like working from home offices.
My recommendations for home office furniture would be as follows:
Manage your accessories
Finally, every fish tank needs accessories such as nets or buckets when you do water changes.
If you don’t have room in your home office to look at these, consider alternative spaces that are nearby to help you out.
After all the last thing you’re going to want to do is running around looking for your bucket in the middle of an emergency.
So what are some other FAQs that people have about setting up an aquarium in a home office?
What are the best fish tank aquariums for your home office?
The best fish tank for your home office would be the Sugar Smart LED Fish Tank. This is small enough to not be distracting in a home office environment but large enough to still be a nice addition to your home office. The tank is also a kit tank ensuring everything you need is in one box.
What type of fish works best in a home office environment?
Goldfish, Zebrafish, and Betta are the best breeds of fish for a home office aqarium.They are all relatively low maintenance and do not move around as fast as other fish causing you to be less distracted when you work from home.
How heavy should your aquarium be for your home office?
Your fish tank for a home office should be no more than 10 gallons in size. Any larger and your tank may be too big for your home office. A 10-gallon tank will weigh around 111 pounds when filled. For best results opt for a 5-gallon tank which will weigh 63 pounds when filled.
Finally a lot of people reading my blog want to know what products I recommend for a home office/remote working. You can find out my recommendations here and learn how I make money whilst working remotely on the side here.
The content on this on this site has been written by Fehed Nicass who has over a decades worth of experience in sales and has worked remotely for the past 2 years.